Coil-unit and spark-plug tester



R. T. CARLSON. CIL UNIT AND SPARK PLUG TESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5.1918.

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Wlness f W@ @JM R; T.' CARLSON.

COIL UNH AND SPARK PLUG TFSTER.k

APPLICATION FILED AuG.5. 1918.

1,335,219. Patented Mar. 30,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNE Y RICHARD T.l CARLSON, OF-ROSEDALE, KANSAS COIL-UNIT ANDSPARK-PLUG TESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed lAugust 5, 1918. Serial No. 248,321.

To el?, whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I Bierman T. CARLSON j a citizeniof the United`States, residing at Rosedale, inthe county of Wyandotte and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Coil-Unitand Spark-Plug Testers, of which the followingl is a specification.

lliy invention relates to electro testing apparatus and while it may beused to advantage in testing various kinds of electrical devices it ismore particularly` adapted for testing the efficiency ofsparkv plugs andvibrator coils nsedin the ignition systems of automobiles. v

ln order that the invention may befully understood, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying* drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the testing apparatus with a vibratorycoil in positionto be tested.

Fig. 2 is a plan view ot the'parts disclosed by Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a `front elevation oi the parts- 'dlscloscd by Fig. 1. withthenpper portion of the apparatus in cross section.

Fig. 1 is a. diagram ot the apparatus circuit and the vibrator cjlcircuit` connected tor operation.

.ln carrying out the invention, l employ a suitable container l in whichthe cells'o'f a primary battery 2 are located. The upperportion of saidcontainer' 1 is provided with atool box 4; and a handle 5removably-secured in place by set screws 7 and 8, respec-v mary circuit15, while the Contact 12 is connected to 'a manually controlled switch17,

adapted to be thrown in and out ot engage inent with'y a contact point-18 at the opposite end of the primary circuit 15. The contacts l2 and 13consist, preferably, ol spring metal to insure a firm lN-iarino againstecrtain contacts hereinafter described on thel vibrator coil C. Thecontainer 1 is also prov ci. vided with an electrode 20 and a conductor55 21, which latter is provided at one erld with a pivot 22 upon which amovable conductor Z-iis operably mounted. The electrode 20 is providedwith a fixed conductor 26 adapted to coact with the conductor Q1 insupporting 6c a. spark plug B..ivlien the saine is to be tested. I Y

The vibrator coil C is rcmovablyheld in vposition at one end ot thecontainer 1 by thcI contacts 12 and 13 and an arm Q9. The arm 65 29 isyieldably-held in engagement with 4the .lviloratoi coil C by a coilspring 27 interposed lm Weensaid arm 29 and a washer at the outer end ofa screw 30, which latter secures the arm 9,9 loosely at one side ot theV container 1.

The vibrator coil 'C n'iay be of the usual construction comprising' acontact P. a post E to which said contact I is connected by a wireconductor e, an adjustable screw F, a

,l and the secondary coil K, an electrode S2 80 connected to theopposite end of the secondary coil K, a condenser N connected 'to thepost E and the spring support M, and a conductor O connectingl thesupport M and one end of thepriinary coil J.

ln practice the vibrator coil C is placed in position for .testing atone end ofthe container 1 with the contacts l5y and Si* in engagementwith the contacts 12 and 13, and

the electrode S2 opposite the electrode 20. 9o .On closingthe switch 17the exciting current Hows from the primary circuit 15 and passes throughsaid switch 17, contacts 12 and P, the conductor the post E, the adjustable screw F, the contact Gr, the spring H, the Wirev O, primarycoil J, contacts S3 and 13, and back to the circuit l5. The

foregoing circuit energizes core I, which attracts the soft iron L andbreaks the nontact at G. The. current then ceases to flow,

core loses its magnetism and the. reaction of the `spring H lcloses thecontact at G, .thus

rciistiililishingr the circuit. These operationsare` repeated in rapidsuccession and resultin constantly changingl the magnetism in the coro land thereby inducing in the secondary coil K. a high E. M. Fawhich flowsthrong-h the contacts S`S and 13, the electrode 20, jumps thesparkgap tothe electrode S2 and returns to the secondary coil K.

By observing, the intensity of the spark at the gap between theelectrodes 2() and S2, an attendant can readily determine whether or notthe` soft piece of iron L is adjusted in proper relation to the adjacentend of the core I, to obtain the ,highest ei'i'lciency from the vibratorcoil, because it said soft iron it is adjusted too far or too close tothe core l the spark across the gap will diminish ac cordingly. Allnecessary adjustments can be readily made in the usual manner with thescrew l?. l

ln testing a spark plug E, the same is placed in position upon theconductors 2l. and 26 and the movable conductor 24 is swung downwardbetween the electrodes i2() and S2, disclosed by Fig. el. iilh'entesting` the spark plug l the vibrator coil C is left. in position onthe container i. and the circuits are, substantially7 the same as whentesting the vibrator coil C alone, exceptingthat said spark plug Bandthe conductor 24, in connection with the conductors 2l and 26 provide ametallic path for the secondary current, and hence the same instead ofjumping the comparatively wide gap between the electrodes 2() and S2jumps the Inarrow gap between the electrodes of the spark plug, so

that the condition of the latter can be. readily determined by theintensity of the spark across the last-mentioned electrodes.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have produced atesting appa.- ratus embodying the advantages above pointed out, and,while I have shown and described the preferred ferm of apparatus, lreserve the right to make such changes in the construction, lpropgirtionand arrangementof parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope ofthe claims. Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desireto secure by Letters lrat` ent, is:

l. In a testing apparatus, the combination with a vibrator coil and asparkplug, of a p 1iinary circuit, contact members at the ends of saidcircuit for engagement with certain contact membersoi the vibrator coil,an elec trode in the primary circuit spaced from an electrode of thevibrator coil to leave a spark gap, a conductor in circuit with theprimary circuit electrode and adapted to support one end of' the sparkplug, spaced 'from the iirst one and adapted to support the opposite endof the spark plug, and a movable conductor in circuit with said secondconductor and arranged to be adusted into` engagement with the vibratorcoil electrode to shunt the circuit from the spark gap and through thespark plug.

2. In a testing apparatus, a container, a.

battery within said. container, an arm yieldably mounted upon saidcontainerfa spring; Contact mounted on the container and spaced fromlsaid arm, a switch in circuit with said contact, a switch point incircuit with one pole ofthe battery, a 'contact in circuit 'with theopposite pole of the battery;l an elec trode. in circuit with thelast-mentioned contact, a conductor connected to said electrode andadapted to support one end of a spart;

plug, a conductor spaced from the last-m-en tioned one and adapted tocoact therewith in supporting` the spark plug, and a movable conductoroperably-connected to the last conductor and adapted to be moved iniront ol" the electrode.

ln testimony whereoi1 i my signature in the presence oi two witnesses.

' RICHARD T. CARLSON.

witnesses OscAn E. NELSON, la J. Fiscrrnn.

a second conductor

